Clutch mechanism for power-driven tools



Aug, 5 1924. v 1,503,723

E. E. sTRoM CLUTCH MECHANISM FOR POWER DRIVEN TOOLS Filed Sept. 2, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 cui fume?! arena-e aug. 5, 1924.

ERNEST EL sTEoM, or CoLoME, SOUTH DAKOTA.

` CLUTCH MECHANISM FORPOWER-DRIVEN TOOLS.

Application led September 2, 1922. Serial No. 585,917.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known't-hat I. ERNEST E. STROM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colome. in the county of Tripp and State of South Dakota., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clutch Mechanism for Power-Driven Tools. of which the following is a specication.

`This invention relates to power-driven tools which may be supported and guided by the hands of the workman and directed for use wherever desired. The invention seeks to provide means whereby a tool may be driven atan even speed, and also seeks to provide simple and efficient means where` by the tool may be connected with ordisconnected from the driving shaft at the will of the user. These stated objects and other objects which will incidentally hereinafter appear are attained in such an apparatus as is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawlngs- Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away and in section, of a portable saw embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the clutch mechanism showing the clutch disconnected;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation showing4 within a guarding bracket 6 which may be formed integral with the front end of the housing 1 or rigidly secured thereto in any desired manner. The housing bracket 6 prolvides a. bearing for the front extremity of the lshaft 4 and also for the inner end of the saw arbor 7 which carries a beveled gear 8 meshing with the gear 5 so that motion of the shaft 4 will be imparted directly to the saw arbor. The saw arbor is preferably arranged axially through a sleeve 9, and anti-friction bearings 10 are preferably provided at the ends of this sleeve. The outer end of the saw arbor projects through the outer end of the said sleeve and a circular saw 11 of any well-known or preferred form is secured to the outer end of the arbor inthe usual manner. A bracing arm 12 extends between the housing 1 Aand the outer end of the sleeve 9 and is securely fastened thereto so as to maintain the right angular relation of said members, as shown in Fig. 1. Upon the outer side of the brace 1Q are secured brackets 13 which carry the saw guard 14 which may be of any preferred or well-known form. A handle 15 is provided at anvconvenient point of the housing 1 so that the same may besupported and guided by the user.

The rear end of the housing 1 is secured to the front end of a clutch casing 16 and the end ofthe shaft 4 extends into ysaid casing. as clearly shown. Loosely mounted upon the rear end of the shaft 4 are the clutch sleeves 17 and 18, the rear clutch sleeve 18 having the front end of the flexible driving. shaft 19 rigidly secured thereto. The shaft 4 is provided with an annular stop collar Q0 adjacent its rear extremity which fits within a circular recess 21 in the rear end of the clutch member 18 and abuts the forward wall of said recess so as to prevent endwise separation of the clutch member from the transmission shaft 4. It will be readily noted that relative rotation of the clutch sleeve 18 and the shaft l4 is permitted. but relative rotation of the clutch sleeve 1T and the shaft 4 is prevented by a locking pin or key 2Q inserted through the shaft and having` its ends disposed within a vlongitudinal slot 28 of the clutch sleeve. The sleeve may thus be shifted longitudinally of the shaft but cannot rotate about the shaft so that, while the clutch sleeve 17 may be moved `to and from the clutch sleeve 18V at will. when the two sleeves are in engagement the rotation of the sleeve 18 will be transmitted to the shaft 4 and the saw-11 will be driven. Mating teeth 24 are provided upon the opposed end faces of the clutch sleeves so that. when the sleeve 17 is shifted rearwardly. the teeth will engage and the said sleeve will be forced to rotate with the sleeve 18'. The sleeve 18 is provided in its forward face with an annular groove or recess 25 and the sleeve 17' is provided in its rear end with a plurality of longitudinally extending sockets 26, coiled springs 27 being received at one end within the said sockets and having their opposite weaves ends disposed within` the annular-recess or connection with the accompanying draw-A oove. Guiding pins 28 are also provided ing, it will be ,readily seen that 'I have 1n the sockets so as to centralize the springs provided an etlicient portable saw which y and prevent them slipping from the sockets. may be readily transported from point to that the clutchw en the operation of the saw is to andmay be employed upon yany work 'td be discontinued, and they also serve as which acircular -saw is adapted. When shock-absorbin members to cushion the enthe clutch is thrown in, the motion of the gagement of t e clutches and thereby prefiexible driving shaft will be 'imparted to vent damage to the ymating teeth- 24. To .the transmission shaft 4 and thence 1meiectengagement and release of the clutch parted directly to the saw arbor. The mosleeves, I. provide a yoke 29 which encircles the housin -1 and is pivotallyr mounted thereon. equipped with a handle 30, and a springcontrolled latch. 31 is housed within the handle and adapted to engage a l'rack 32 -as' at'35, as to extend inwardly to the of the axis of the shaft 4 :25nd the c fixed upon the housing whereby the 'yoke will'be held in a set position and the en gagement or releaseof the)`clutch members .maintained To the lower end of the yoke 29, I pivotally attach the outer' ends of the links 35i/.which extend rearwardly. froml. the yoke and pass through openings 34 provided therefor in the front end of the casing 16. The rear ends of these links are so formed, lane utch sleeves and their lextremities Aare proper shaped to engage Within an annular groove 36 provided at the front end of the clutch sleeve 17. The rocking of the yoke 29 will obviousl ett'ect longitudinal reoiprocation of the links" 33 which will be imp artedi di-' rectly' to the clutchsleeve 17 so that it will i 29'are li be shifted longitudinally of the transmission shaft 4, vand the teeth '24 on said sleeve moved into or out of engagement with the mating teeth on `the`clutch'sleeve 18. 'Pivotally attached at the upper end ofthe yoke .37 which extend rearwardly therefrom through openings 38 in thefront end of the cas1ng116 and have theirrear ends attached to'a ring or collar 3 9 which 'is slidably mountedfupon the clutch sleeve 17. Adjacent its rear end, the said' clutch sleeve 17 is provided with an annular rib or ange 40 and pivotally mounted upon the clutch sleeve 18 are latches 41 whlch are vadapted to engage over the said rib Vor 'y clutch mayjbe opened.

Bange when the clutch sleeves are in engagement so as to .retain the engaged relation. Coiled springs ,42 disposed between the sleeve 18 and the rear'ends ofthe latches causethem t9 automatically engage the .said flange when'- the clutch sleeves are `brought together. It will be readily noted that the collar 39 is beveled rearwardly so that it mayride readily' under the. freeendsof the laimhes 41 and, consequently, the rearward movement of the' said collar will release the latches from the rib or ange 40 so that the vFrom the foregoing description, Ataken in.

he upper end of this, yoke is 'c and of the flange 40 upon the forward clutch 'and extend toward the said clutch sleeve sleeve under the Jiniiuence of the springs bearing upon their rear ends. \29 vbe now rocked so that the 33 are moved rearwardly, ridel under the bevele/dheads. of the llatches cause them to swing outwardly and lower links lride side thereof just as the mating teeth 24 come intol engagement. "When itis desired in the oppositer direction and there is sufthe flange 40 will over the flange and to engage the front.

These springs tend constantly to expand so point and *may be driven hfrom a distant 7!) `facilitate the releasing of the motor and apphed to work wherever neededA 1y to open the clutch, the yoke 29is rocked 95 icient play ofV the extremities of the links 33 within the groove 36to accommodate a slight rearward movement of the collar or ring 39 prior to releasing movement of theclutch sleeve 17. This lost7 motion will perl mit the said. collar 'or ring to be. carried against the beveled ends ofthe latches 41 under the rearward movement of the links "37 so that the s aid latches will be .disengaged from the rib or .flange 40,. whereuponthe expansion ofthe springs 27 will effect a'slight separation of the 'clutchsleevesv l 'and the continued y'movement of the 29 will then draw the 'clutch 'sleevel' om the sleeve-'18 under the pull of the links 33.

oke

- My device is exceedingly simplein the.

construction andl arrangement of its parts so .that

a der. It will be readily noted-'that the mov lng parts are al1 protected by the supportit may be operated eliiciently at low cost and-is not apt to' get out of'oring and enclosing. elements so that injury to the operatorv is not aptto occur.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed asnew is: f

1. IInn an apparatus for the purpse set 'y forth, the combination of a transmission shaft, a clutch member loosely fitted upon the transmission shaft ,and secured to a drivingshaft, a lsecond. clutch member slid-l ably mounted upon .the transmission shaft and, constrained to rotate therewith, means for shifting thel second-mentioned clutch 1 member Vinto or out of engagement wit-l;

the first-mentioned clutch member, a flange upon the second-mentioned clutch member, latches upon the rst-mentioned clutch member adapted to engage said ange, a collar loosely mounted on the second-mentioned clutch member, and means for shifting said cellar into engagement with the latches whereby to release the latches from the flange.

2. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination of a' transmission shaft, a clutch member loosely tted upon the transmission shaft and,V secured to a driving shaft, a second clutch member slidably mounted upon the transmission shaft and constrained to rotate therewith, means4 for shiftingthe second-mentioned clutch member into or out of engagement with the first-mentioned clutch member, a flange upon the second-mentioned clutch member, latches upon the first-mentioned clutch 3. In an apparatus for the purpose set forth, the combination` of a1transmission shaft, a clutch member mounted loosely upon'said shaft and secured to a driving shaft, a second clutch member slidable upon the transmission shaft but constrained to rotate therewith, a Hange upon the second clutch member adjacent the rear end thereof, latches mounted upon the rst clutch member and adapted to engage said flange, a yoke disposed in advance of the clutch members and mounted for rocking movement,a link extending from the lower end of said yoke and operatively engaged with the `second-mentioned clutch member, a co1- lar loosely fitted upon the said second clutch member, and a link extending from the upper end of the yoke to the said collar whereby. said collar may be caused to engage the latches and release the same.

means mounted upon the second-mentioned clutch member for releasing said latches.

\ ERNEST E. srRoM. [La] v ln testimony whereofkk l ax my signamember adapted to engage said flange, and tum 

